An Olfactive Introduction: The Omniscient Mr Thompson

The Omniscient Mr Thompson leaves an invisible trail behind him has he walks through the shadows of the Portraits Mansion. One is, of course, referring to his most remarkable scent: that of iris and sesame with a smooth and reassuring vanilla undertone. It’s a rather distinguished combination, if we do say so ourselves, and terribly fitting for a butler.​

​If one is eager to acquaint themselves with the notes of this most pleasing perfume, then allow Penhaligon’s to introduce you to the ingredients of the latest Portraits Collection scent.

Rarely used in fragrance, the scent of sesame is rather faithful to the seed itself with a nutty, unsweetened gourmand facet. One might associate the smell with hazelnuts, warm bread, coffee, or peanuts – a veritable feast of comforting treats, truly. It’s often paired with vanilla and woody or oriental notes, which is exactly what we’ve done for Mr Thompson! (He’ll be so pleased.)​

​As for the seed itself, its story started 5.600 years ago when the Indian subcontinent started cultivating the plant domestically. It was used in flour and oil production in the Bronze Age, and wealthy Assyrians would use sesame oil for skin care around the 6th century BC. Sesame seeds are also used in the Hindu observance Til Sankranti; known as ‘the seeds of immortality’, sesame seeds are said to have been blessed by Lord Yama, also known as the God of Death. For this reason, black sesame seeds are used in funeral rites.​

​The small but mighty sesame seed is so ingrained in Indian culture that there are even many proverbs that mention the seed. For instance, ’til dharne kii jagah na honaa’ in Urdu roughly translates to ‘an overcrowded space with no more room’ - not even space for a sesame seed!

A popular choice for perfumes since the Egyptian times, iris is used in fragrances as a floral base note. It has a powdery, floral, and slightly earthy profile that also prolongs the life of other notes in a blend (how useful!). The Ancient Greeks and Romans would use it in medicinal tinctures as well as cosmetics, and the scent has had an enduring appeal since – one hears rumours that Catherine de’Medici was rather fond of the scent, and even brought it to the French Royal Court. ​

Iris is an exceedingly rare ingredient for perfume due to the labour-intensive process of preparing the orris root for essential oils. It takes approximately half a ton of orris root to produce one kilogram of essential oil (by Jove, how the mind boggles!). When paired with vanilla, the iris takes on a warm, comforting essence that so perfectly encapsulates the feeling of having a confidante to share your burdens – we are, of course, referring to Mr Thompson.

A universal and unanimously adored spice, vanilla’s creamy, floral scent has raptured many noses through the centuries. With origins in Mexico, vanilla was the Totonac Indian’s best-kept secret until they were conquered by the Aztecs. Vanilla is extracted from seeded pods that grow on a variety of vanilla orchid plants, with the majority of production taking place in Madagascar. Nowadays, vanilla can be found in tens of thousands of products globally – but do any of these come close to Mr Thompson? We think not. ​